Women Challenge US Policy in the Middle East
Jimmy Carter Speaks for Me
Jewish Voice for Peace and Just Foreign Policy recently collected 5,000 signatures on their petition supporting the actions of former President Jimmy Carter to include Hamas in peace discussions between Palestine and Israel. They have submitted the petition to the Carter Center and the three major Presidential candidates.
The media in the U.S. and Israel - The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, CommonDreams - and The Jerusalem Post - has picked up the story and all are reporting that 5,000 people support the inclusion of Hamas in any negotiations. We urge WILPF members to read more and consider signing the petition in order to send a stronger message to the Presidential candidates.
http://cartercenter.org/news/pr/carter_hamas_petition.html
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/t/1849/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1175
Sign-on letter to Condoleezza Rice; Call for Justice in Annapolis Peace Talks
Dear Secretary Rice,
On behalf of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), U.S. Section, we would like to thank you for your initiative in calling for a renewed peace effort in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We will be watching as the proposed conference in Maryland takes shape and attempts to move the process forward.
Several years ago, our organization held our triennial international congress in Baltimore. Since WILPF has sections in Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon, we took the opportunity to make an appointment and send a delegation over to The U.S. State Department for a frank discussion. We brought representatives from each of our Middle East sections--Jews, Christians, and Muslims--and the under-secretary with whom we met found our evaluation of the situation to be relevant and useful. Several of our suggestions later became part of the U.S. stance in the negotiations which were then taking place.
The Effects of War on Women and the Environment in Israel/Palestine
You are invited to a conference:
The Effects of War on Women and the Environment in Israel/Palestine
Foundry United Methodist Church at 16th and P Streets NW,
Washington, DC on October 19th, 2007 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The intention of the gathering is to:
- Raise awareness of the disparate effect of the continued conflict on women.
- Get the facts about the exploitation of water and other natural resources in the region.
- Hear the voices and experiences of Israeli and Palestinian women.
- Explore collaborative ways to repair damage done to women, their families, and to the environment.
- Promote the United Nations Resolution 1325 for Women, Peace & Security
While Palestinian women living under Israeli occupation struggle with daily survival in the face of one of the most powerful militaries in the world, Israeli women live in a constant state of insecurity as a result of the conflict. The cycle of violence perpetuates itself and comes “home” to everyone. We don’t pretend to have the answer to this centuries’ old struggle. “Women to Women for Peace” have been promoting the strengthening of women’s role in peacemaking and intercultural understanding among women as a way to peace since 1981.
There Is No Military Solution To the Iranian Nuclear Situation
Educate yourself—use this information packet, gather and use the resources listed here, follow the news, and analyze the news you read.
Educate others—request additional information packets to distribute, copy this packet, organize a public program using the suggested speakers (list included), write letters to your local paper (sample included), talk to your friends and family and neighbours.
Speak up loud and clear—raise the urgent need for a peaceful solution (suggested solutions included) at every opportunity and public forum on the Middle East, war and peace events, and especially at rallies and programs calling for an end to the War against Iraq. We need to add the call for a peaceful resolution to the Iran crisis to all anti-war mobilizations.
WILPF Israel Section: Gaza 2007
The Israeli section watches the latest heartbreaking events in Gaza with pain and growing worry. We would like to offer our sympathy to all our Palestinian friends and our prayer and believe that the Palestinian people, who have manifested strength and courage during the prolonged Occupation, will overcome these black days, and rise over their difficulties to concentrate on their important struggle – the one for a just and honorable independence, alongside the State of Israel.
Read WILPF's recent statement of the Middle East Committee
Disaffirming Resolution 1325
Preface
“We who face death” is how Zakia Hakki, an Iraqi judge, describes the women of Iraq. While she was speaking at a panel during the 51st Commission on the Status of women, she herself was recovering from a knee injury, resulting from an assassination attempt.1
Since the 2003 U.S. invasion Iraqi women are suffering from a deteriorating infrastructure, social conservatism, and gender-based violence. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 affirms that armed conflict disproportionately affects civilian women and children, and that there exists the need to protect their rights. 2 The United States maintains that Resolution 1325 was implemented in the strategies for Iraq, yet the situation for Iraqi women has become dire. In his December 2005 speech, President Bush discussed “our efforts to help the Iraqi people build a lasting democracy in the heart of the Middle East”—efforts which would “protect the interests of all Iraqi people.”3 Unfortunately, the U.S. intervention in overthrowing the Ba’ath regime has not democratized Iraq, but instead has instigated a civil war. As Zachia Hakki says, “There’s no longer one Saddam, but hundreds of ‘Saddams.’”4
June 10th: A Call To Action
The Women's International League is joining with the US Campaign to End the Occupation and United for Peace and Justice in mobilizing for a historic demonstration on June 10th, 2007. WILPF members are encouraged to seize this opportunity and gather with US peace and justice activists to unite in our efforts to challenge and change U.S. policy in the Middle East. In WILPF's tradition of promoting policies that move us closer to our mission of world peace and global equality, our goal is to challenge the neo-conservative agenda and to offer the seeds for an alternative U.S. foreign policy on the Middle East. At the core of the unresolved conflict in the Middle East is the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.We see this demonstration as an opportunity to unite with our allies, and assert our position of peace built on justice to U.S. Congress, the President and the rest of the nation. Women's Vision toolkit
Download the documents here, or we can also send you a hard copy for $10.00 that includes posters, invitation postcards, sample outreach emails, and tools to make it easy to organize a feminist roundtable. Contact Kate Zaidan at 215-563-7110 or kzaidan@wilpf.org to order.
Introduction to Toolkit/Dear Organizer
Customizable Poster
Customize this poster for your event! If you would like the print version, let us know and we will fill in the information for you . Copies included in print version.
Sample Invitation Email
to invite community members to the feminist roundtable
Sample Press Release
to circulate to local media about this exciting initiative
Power Point Presentation [coming soon!]
US. policy in the Middle East, how U.S. policy is made, and how we can change it.
CONFUSING THE ISSUE: MEARSHEIMER & WALT'S "THE ISRAEL LOBBY"
(Printed in London Review of Books Vol. 28 No. 6 23 March 2006)* download pdf
by Libby Frank
Member, Leadership Team, Women Challenge U.S. Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East (Women's Int'l. League for Peace and Freedom)
John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, authors of the paper, "The Israel Lobby," hold leading positions in American academic life. The paper is provoking great interest in political and activist circles and provides an opportunity to clarify issues of the "Israel Lobby" and U.S. policy.
"US women demand US restore aid to the Palestinian Authority"
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Contact: Kate Zaidan, Program Coordinator, WILPF, 215-563-7110, kzaidan@wilpf.org
An International NGO focused on peace and human rights, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom [WILPF], has launched a grassroots campaign to pressure the Bush Administration to end the policy of restricting aid to the Palestinian people and the democratically elected government of Palestine, Hamas. The organization demands that the US government immediately restore aid to the Palestinian Authority, and intends to mobilize women across the US to end this arbitrary and unfair policy that has exacerbated the already dire situation of the Palestinian people.
Starvation is Not the Path to Peace: Take Action Now!
At this time of holidays--Kwaanza, Chanukah, and Christmas--we are reminded that many of the Palestinian children will go without food, education, and health care that they should receive.
We appeal to the current Congress and the 110th Congress to take emergency measures to make sure that the people of Palestine, especially the children, will not go hungry while we in the U.S. feast. Their hardship is made worse by the lack of clean water and electricity, a result of recent hostilities.
In the words of our sisters in Israel from the Coalition of Women for Peace: "While a ceasefire is a blessing, the siege remains in force, withering the Gazan economy: 80% of Gazans now live in poverty on less than $2 a day. In a shocking reversal of 'economic growth', the World Bank predicts a drop of 27% in this year's gross domestic product: 'a one year contraction of economic activity equivalent to a deep depression'".
Information Clearinghouse: U.S. Aid to Palestine
The WCUSP Campaign acknowledges that U.S. foreign aid is a complex topic. We have compiled a clearinghouse of information on aid as it has been historically distributed in Palestine, distributed after the sanctions imposed on the Hamas led government of Palestine, and how aid is allocated globally.
Women Challenge US Policy
WILPF's Middle East campaign will examine the role of U.S. policy in the dynamics of current conflicts. It will educate communities to policy dimensions seldom discussed regarding Palestine, Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. What economic interests underlie the power struggles in the region? What U.S. policy changes will end violence and promote justice? The campaign will work to bridge gaps, engage diverse groups in developing a women's vision for U.S. foreign policy, and join with women in the region to claim U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325's promise that women's active participation can bring peaceful, democratic resolution to the conflicts.
The WCUSP Feminist Action Guide to Challenging US Policy in the Middle East is a 165 page tool for forming a study group or embarking on independent study as an individual, and is complete with original source material, articles, maps and steps to take action. The Feminist Action Guide will serve as a launchpad for future action to challenge U.S. Policy in the Middle East.
Sign the Letter to Barack Obama from Nation Magazine
New US WILPF Statement on the War in Iraq and Iran
TO ALL CONGRESS PEOPLE
re: WAR in IRAQ and IRAN
We condemn and oppose the United States war and occupation of Iraq, which has caused the death of over 4,000 U.S. military personnel and over 1 million Iraqis. Untold numbers of combat troops have been physically and psychologically damaged. In addition there are over 5 million Iraqi refugees, which place a strain on the economies of the receiving countries. An estimated 1 million war widows work to eke out a living for their families.
Jimmy Carter Speaks for Me
Jewish Voice for Peace and Just Foreign Policy recently collected 5,000 signatures on their petition supporting the actions of former President Jimmy Carter to include Hamas in peace discussions between Palestine and Israel. They have submitted the petition to the Carter Center and the three major Presidential candidates.
The media in the U.S. and Israel - The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, CommonDreams - and The Jerusalem Post - has picked up the story and all are reporting that 5,000 people support the inclusion of Hamas in any negotiations. We urge WILPF members to read more and consider signing the petition in order to send a stronger message to the Presidential candidates.
http://cartercenter.org/news/pr/carter_hamas_petition.html
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/t/1849/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1175
WILPF Remembers Peace Activist and Educator Riad Hamad
| WILPF Remembers Peace Activist and Educator Riad Hamad |
US WILPF became acquainted with Riad in 2005 at the time that we initiated our national campaign, "Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East." We had contacted him because we wanted to sell peace dove pins made in Palestine to raise money to support the campaign and, even more than that, to promote our hope that we will realize peace and justice for all the citizens of Palestine and Israel. Riad gave us a fair price and, upon learning more about our work, gave us an additional generous quantity of pins at no charge. We continue to sell his olive wood broaches and mother of pearl lapel pins on our website.
We were shocked and saddened to learn of Riad's death and extend to his family and many friends our sincere sympathy. He was an outstanding, noble, and generous man -- he died tragically and much too soon. We mourn the loss of his life.
Support the People of Gaza and the Peace Process
Support the People of Gaza and the Peace Process
WCUSP continues to be concerned about conditions in the Gaza Strip, where poor nutrition, health concerns, water contamination and power cuts have become an everyday worry. The blockade of Gaza by Israel and the continued closure of the area have made life for ordinary citizens very difficult. Bombing raids have put everyone at risk and contributed to psychological wounds as well as physical ones. We urge both sides to stop attacks and move to the peace table. We encourage our members to sign and submit the Gaza postcards to your Congressional representatives. Those we receive without representatives listed are being delivered to the Presidential candidates.We also are making plans for workshops at the National Congress in Iowa which will help to link Middle East issues to other relevant issues in WILPF work, such as disarmament, water, and racism.
March 11: Conference Call on Gaza and Military Aid to Israel
Tuesday, March 11 9 PM EST
WILPF's Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East Campaign joins the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and United for Peace and Justice to invite you to a debriefing conference call on the massive military assault in the besieged Gaza Strip and the consequences of the increase in military aid to Israel requested by President Bush.
The massive Israeli military assault on Gaza of recent days is the most immediately murderous part of a series of escalating regional crises that are rippling across the Middle East, involving Palestine and Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria -- and U.S. warships moving into strategic positions off the Lebanese coast.
In Gaza, Israel's attack killed between 125 and 131 Palestinians, of whom half were civilians, and at least 22 of whom were children, including several infants. The attack devastated Gaza's 1.5 million residents already suffering under what a coalition of British humanitarian agencies including Amnesty International and Oxfam called "worse than at any time since the beginning of the Israeli military occupation in 1967."
The United States should be cutting off military aid to Israel for its human rights abuses and violations of the U.S. Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts, not increasing it.
Join Phyllis Bennis on the conference call!
"The Crisis in Gaza" - a WILPF Declaration
"The Crisis in Gaza" - a WILPF Declaration
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section (WILPF US), having considered reports of an escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza including Israel's continuing siege, deprivation, bombardment, and military assault upon the citizens of Gaza resulting in civilian deaths and countless injuries during the past months and that indiscriminate random rocket attacks have been launched from Gaza into Israel resulting in a number of injuries to Israeli citizens;
Taking note of statements by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that "Gaza's border closures are without precedent," leaving Palestinians "effectively incarcerated...without fuel and spare parts, public health conditions are declining steeply as water and sanitation services struggle to function. The electricity supply is sporadic,"
Ten Reasons For U.S. Peace & Justice Activists To Challenge U.S. Policy In Palestine And Israel
Tell Condoleezza: No Justice, No Peace!
The US administration is currently laying the groundwork for the resumption of peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine, scheduled to take place in November or December. In preparation, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is visiting the region this week.
The Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East (WCUSP) Campaign of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section (WILPF US) calls upon WILPF members and supporters to contact the State Department, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Tell the US administration and elected leaders not to support Israel's use of collective punishment against the people of Gaza.
The Effects of War on Women and the Environment in Israel/Palestine
You are invited to a conference:
The Effects of War on Women and the Environment in Israel/Palestine
Foundry United Methodist Church at 16th and P Streets NW,
Washington, DC on October 19th, 2007 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The intention of the gathering is to:
- Raise awareness of the disparate effect of the continued conflict on women.
- Get the facts about the exploitation of water and other natural resources in the region.
- Hear the voices and experiences of Israeli and Palestinian women.
- Explore collaborative ways to repair damage done to women, their families, and to the environment.
- Promote the United Nations Resolution 1325 for Women, Peace & Security
While Palestinian women living under Israeli occupation struggle with daily survival in the face of one of the most powerful militaries in the world, Israeli women live in a constant state of insecurity as a result of the conflict. The cycle of violence perpetuates itself and comes “home” to everyone. We don’t pretend to have the answer to this centuries’ old struggle. “Women to Women for Peace” have been promoting the strengthening of women’s role in peacemaking and intercultural understanding among women as a way to peace since 1981.
Understanding US Policy
Thoughts on Mearsheimer
Myth and Reality: Jewish Influence on US Middle East Policy
In working for a just resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict, we constantly bump into the fact that the powerful party is the state of one of history’s most oppressed groups. Some get frustrated by always having to address anti-Semitism while working toward a just resolution to the plight of the Palestinians. But we’re kidding ourselves if we believe for a moment that anti-Semitism is not an integral part of the problem. It is that history which creates the fear and anger that drive many Israeli policies. And if we fail to recognize the leg (pdf) itimate fear that history has instilled in the Jewish people, we fail before we start. When dealing with the question of US support for Israel’s occupation, this awareness is especially critical.
Bibliography of Books, Media, and Websites
Books: History of the Region
American Friends Service Committee. When the Rain Returns: Toward Justice and Reconciliation in Palestine and Israel. AFSC, 2004. Report of International Quaker Working Party on the region, peacemaking efforts, and recommendations for US policy.
Ashrawi, Hanan. This Side of Peace: A Personal Account. Simon & Schuster, 1995. An insider's look at several rounds of peace negotiations and the personalities involved.
U.N. Resolutions and Maps
Map of Apartheid Wall FOLLOWING ARE U.N. RESOLUTIONS FREQUENTLY CITED
Those that are too long to be included in their entirety can be accessed online by typing into Google "U.N. Resolution" followed by Resolution number requested.
Two Occupations, Same Goal, Similar Characteristics
Rachell Marshall
WILPF National Congress
A year ago last spring, during the same week that Israeli forces were attacking a Gaza refugee camp, bulldozing buildings, ripping up water pipes and power lines, and killing civilians, American forces were laying siege to Iraqi cities. The tanks and helicopter gun ships were identical. The rubble left by the bombs looked the same whether it was in Rafah or Karbala. The faces of Iraqis and Palestinians mourning their dead showed the same grief. Last may there was a front page article in the Times describing a U.S. bombing attack on an Iraqi village the day before that had killed 45 people while they were celebrating a wedding. Next to it was a picture of a man standing in the ruins of a house in Gaza holding his dead child in his arms. The child and several others were killed when an Israeli tank fired into a crowded street. The picture fit both news stories.
Women Challenge US Policy -Action Alerts
Sign the Letter to Barack Obama from Nation Magazine
New US WILPF Statement on the War in Iraq and Iran
TO ALL CONGRESS PEOPLE
re: WAR in IRAQ and IRAN
We condemn and oppose the United States war and occupation of Iraq, which has caused the death of over 4,000 U.S. military personnel and over 1 million Iraqis. Untold numbers of combat troops have been physically and psychologically damaged. In addition there are over 5 million Iraqi refugees, which place a strain on the economies of the receiving countries. An estimated 1 million war widows work to eke out a living for their families.
Jimmy Carter Speaks for Me
Jewish Voice for Peace and Just Foreign Policy recently collected 5,000 signatures on their petition supporting the actions of former President Jimmy Carter to include Hamas in peace discussions between Palestine and Israel. They have submitted the petition to the Carter Center and the three major Presidential candidates.
The media in the U.S. and Israel - The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, CommonDreams - and The Jerusalem Post - has picked up the story and all are reporting that 5,000 people support the inclusion of Hamas in any negotiations. We urge WILPF members to read more and consider signing the petition in order to send a stronger message to the Presidential candidates.
http://cartercenter.org/news/pr/carter_hamas_petition.html
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/t/1849/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1175
WILPF Remembers Peace Activist and Educator Riad Hamad
| WILPF Remembers Peace Activist and Educator Riad Hamad |
US WILPF became acquainted with Riad in 2005 at the time that we initiated our national campaign, "Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East." We had contacted him because we wanted to sell peace dove pins made in Palestine to raise money to support the campaign and, even more than that, to promote our hope that we will realize peace and justice for all the citizens of Palestine and Israel. Riad gave us a fair price and, upon learning more about our work, gave us an additional generous quantity of pins at no charge. We continue to sell his olive wood broaches and mother of pearl lapel pins on our website.
We were shocked and saddened to learn of Riad's death and extend to his family and many friends our sincere sympathy. He was an outstanding, noble, and generous man -- he died tragically and much too soon. We mourn the loss of his life.
Support the People of Gaza and the Peace Process
Support the People of Gaza and the Peace Process
WCUSP continues to be concerned about conditions in the Gaza Strip, where poor nutrition, health concerns, water contamination and power cuts have become an everyday worry. The blockade of Gaza by Israel and the continued closure of the area have made life for ordinary citizens very difficult. Bombing raids have put everyone at risk and contributed to psychological wounds as well as physical ones. We urge both sides to stop attacks and move to the peace table. We encourage our members to sign and submit the Gaza postcards to your Congressional representatives. Those we receive without representatives listed are being delivered to the Presidential candidates.We also are making plans for workshops at the National Congress in Iowa which will help to link Middle East issues to other relevant issues in WILPF work, such as disarmament, water, and racism.
March 11: Conference Call on Gaza and Military Aid to Israel
Tuesday, March 11 9 PM EST
WILPF's Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East Campaign joins the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and United for Peace and Justice to invite you to a debriefing conference call on the massive military assault in the besieged Gaza Strip and the consequences of the increase in military aid to Israel requested by President Bush.
The massive Israeli military assault on Gaza of recent days is the most immediately murderous part of a series of escalating regional crises that are rippling across the Middle East, involving Palestine and Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria -- and U.S. warships moving into strategic positions off the Lebanese coast.
In Gaza, Israel's attack killed between 125 and 131 Palestinians, of whom half were civilians, and at least 22 of whom were children, including several infants. The attack devastated Gaza's 1.5 million residents already suffering under what a coalition of British humanitarian agencies including Amnesty International and Oxfam called "worse than at any time since the beginning of the Israeli military occupation in 1967."
The United States should be cutting off military aid to Israel for its human rights abuses and violations of the U.S. Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts, not increasing it.
Join Phyllis Bennis on the conference call!
"The Crisis in Gaza" - a WILPF Declaration
"The Crisis in Gaza" - a WILPF Declaration
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section (WILPF US), having considered reports of an escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza including Israel's continuing siege, deprivation, bombardment, and military assault upon the citizens of Gaza resulting in civilian deaths and countless injuries during the past months and that indiscriminate random rocket attacks have been launched from Gaza into Israel resulting in a number of injuries to Israeli citizens;
Taking note of statements by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that "Gaza's border closures are without precedent," leaving Palestinians "effectively incarcerated...without fuel and spare parts, public health conditions are declining steeply as water and sanitation services struggle to function. The electricity supply is sporadic,"
Ten Reasons For U.S. Peace & Justice Activists To Challenge U.S. Policy In Palestine And Israel
Tell Condoleezza: No Justice, No Peace!
The US administration is currently laying the groundwork for the resumption of peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine, scheduled to take place in November or December. In preparation, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is visiting the region this week.
The Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East (WCUSP) Campaign of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section (WILPF US) calls upon WILPF members and supporters to contact the State Department, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Tell the US administration and elected leaders not to support Israel's use of collective punishment against the people of Gaza.
The Effects of War on Women and the Environment in Israel/Palestine
You are invited to a conference:
The Effects of War on Women and the Environment in Israel/Palestine
Foundry United Methodist Church at 16th and P Streets NW,
Washington, DC on October 19th, 2007 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The intention of the gathering is to:
- Raise awareness of the disparate effect of the continued conflict on women.
- Get the facts about the exploitation of water and other natural resources in the region.
- Hear the voices and experiences of Israeli and Palestinian women.
- Explore collaborative ways to repair damage done to women, their families, and to the environment.
- Promote the United Nations Resolution 1325 for Women, Peace & Security
While Palestinian women living under Israeli occupation struggle with daily survival in the face of one of the most powerful militaries in the world, Israeli women live in a constant state of insecurity as a result of the conflict. The cycle of violence perpetuates itself and comes “home” to everyone. We don’t pretend to have the answer to this centuries’ old struggle. “Women to Women for Peace” have been promoting the strengthening of women’s role in peacemaking and intercultural understanding among women as a way to peace since 1981.
see all WCUSP Action Alerts ...
